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Are the Golden State Warriors Unstoppable?

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Will the Golden State Warriors walk their way to the 2017/18 NBA Championship?

This year's NBA Finals was billed as a showdown of basketball immortality, featuring an unprecedented third consecutive meeting between the Golden State Warriors and reigning champions Cleveland Cavaliers. Almost instantly though, the theme of the occasion changed from an epic battle to a deck stacked against LeBron James and his Ohio team - it was only a matter of seconds before they felt they were steps behind.

It was an almost flawless campaign for Golden State to clinch a second NBA Championship, eventually thumping their arch rivals with the substantial addition of Kevin Durant making a world of difference. A team that already had some sensational resources went to a level few could comprehend, and that group of bewildered individuals featured LeBron James and his star-studded line-up of colleagues.

The debate about super teams will run ravage throughout the off-season, as teams duke it out to snap up the best commodities on the market and free agents begin to create some shockwaves. The ultimate goal is clear but utopian: build a team with the strength that can bring down a daunting empire in Oakland, California. It was clear from an early stage that they're the team to beat, but perhaps they are now the team that cannot be beat.

Image: ABC

Odds will shift dramatically dependant on what future events occur in the trading period, but Golden State are certainly equipped to dominate the league for the next season at least, and depending how events occur in regards to contracts and free agency thereafter. Kevin Durant committing his future to the club only makes the problem even more jarring for other franchises; with the reality needed to be accepted that almost everyone will be playing second fiddle to Golden State. This sportsbook agrees - placing Warriors as huge favourites going into the 2017/18 campaign, and who could blame them?

Image: Vox Media

But, as sports have taught us plenty of times in the past, it's not always as straight forward as rock, paper and scissors. Speaking of which, when the scissors are used to cut the ribbons for the new Chase Center in a few years time, we may be looking back at a magnificent legacy left behind by a team who devastated everyone who trembled into their path, be it East or West.

Out of all those victimised by Golden State, perhaps the least it has settled well with is LeBron James. His best efforts were not enough to replicate the miraculous revival of 2016; but hitting the gym days after the 4-1 defeat showed him on a vengeance, and that is a serious warning beacon for any team, even with the stature, resources and all-out star power of the Golden State Warriors. Kyrie Irving too showed what he is capable of, and perhaps if Cleveland get an extra part - obviously not Kevin Durant-sized as its simply impossible - they may just present that challenge. If you glance in the same conference, Houston Rockets, for all their inconsistency, may have a shot with the tantalizing backcourt of James Harden and Chris Paul now constructed. Or, Russell Westbrook could exact the ultimate revenge on his former Oklahoma City teammate when he thwarts them of back-to-back titles now with the help of Paul George.

Image: ESPN Five Thirty Eight

We won't need the all-star game in the upcoming season to confirm the huge discrepancy in quality between East and West - because now perhaps more than ever it is stacked to the favour of the latter. The fact that the Warriors have to play West counterparts twice more than the East will make regular season a lot tougher to work through, but no one's doubting their ability to rank high - or probably first - going into the postseason. It's about who can stop them, and still as it stands unfortunately for the others, nothing seems to hold a candle, or at least for long enough.

There are few safe bets in this world, but Golden State Warriors retaining their championship may be one of them. Take that with an almighty pitch of salt with the fluctuating nature of the league potentially making that bite the dust, but in their flow, and with the resources at hand, it is not just a prediction, but an expectation of the Warriors to capture gold once more. Maybe we should already start looking towards the 2018/19 season.